Seattle recall against Marxist councilmember loses venues for election night party, campaign manager targeted with death threats

The recall election against Democratic Socialists of American and Socialist Alternative firebrand Seattle City Council Member Kshama Sawant is scheduled for Tuesday. On Saturday, the Recall Sawant campaign was informed by their election night party venue, the Garage, that they could no longer use the venue because they were worried about the potential of threats of violence against the location.

According to the campaign, there were no threats as of the time of cancellation because the venue had been kept secret and only known to those who RSVPed to an invite only event.

Additionally, the campaign had secured Seattle Police and security guards to safeguard the venue, due to local politicians and VIP’s from across the political spectrum being on the guest list.

A few hours later, the campaign found an alternative venue, McGilvra’s Pub. But less than 24 hours later, that venue cancelled as well, citing concerns over the new COVID variant.

The Garage and their parent company Bowlmor Lanes did not return requests for comment and the management of McGilvra’s was unable to be reached.

Millions of dollars from across the country have flooded the campaign to keep Sawant in office. Conversely, money for the recall against her has been mostly from inside the district. Sawant is being recalled as a result of three charges leveled at her. First, that Sawant used city resources to support a proposed ballot initiative to tax Amazon without complying with public disclosure requirements.

Secondly, that she opened the doors to city hall after hours and let hundreds or protesters, including many from the deadly ‘autonomous zone’ occupy the building during the ongoing riots in the city in 2020 all during the COVID pandemic.

Third that she led rioters to the home of Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan whose address is protected by a state confidentiality program because of her previous work as a federal prosecutor. Rioters vandalized the property and regularly showed up to harass the Mayor and her family for months after.

Sawant’s reporters have labeled the recall effort "racist, right wing, Republican," even though the people behind the recall like campaign manager Henry Bridger are liberal Democrats. According to Bridger, Sawant’s supporters have leveled death threats against him.

Bridger told KOMO News, "I've had myself seven death threats in a year and a half… the FBI has investigated some of them. And when I go on my walks, I have to be very guarded. I get approached by people. I'm walking through Cal Anderson (park) one afternoon, a gentleman comes up yelling and screaming at me, calling me an 'f***ing faggot' and such like that."

"…they know me… people taking photos of me from across the street. They follow me into stores. They chase me. They've spit on me."

Many see the recall against Sawant as a chance to 'reset' Seattle’s radical political climate. Other see it as a chance to remove a councilmember who has promoted job killing initiatives and led the charge to defund the police which has led to spiking crime across the city.

Nationally, some see the election as a chance to make an example out of recalling the politician who was the champion for the job killing $15 minimum wage and is one of the most prominent socialist voices in the country.